School suspends security firm

Published 1:00 am, Friday, October 28, 2005

RIDGEFIELD - School officials will stop using - at least temporarily - a security company that employed a guard who was arrested this week on charges of trying to sell marijuana on the grounds of Ridgefield High School.

"This is a very serious matter involving the safety and security of Ridgefield students," said Superintendent
Kenneth Freeston
. "We need to conduct our own investigation and review closely the findings of the investigation conducted by Securitas," the private security company.

Officials with Chicago-based Securitas said Thursday evening they would have no comment on the arrest of Warner Cuevas, 23, of Danbury, who helped direct traffic outside the school.

Students interviewed Thursday said Cuevas was on of several security guards who worked at the school. They described him as "nice," "friendly" and "chill," or easy-going.

Some teens were on a first-name basis with him. Others called him "
Snoop Dogg
," because he wore his hair in corn-row braids like the rap star, who early in his career boasted of his frequent marijuana use.

At the same time, several students said they were not surprised to hear Cuevas had been arrested Wednesday on marijuana charges. One freshman heard when a teen wanted to buy drugs, he would approach the guard and use a code word.

Sophomore
Megan Kingsley
, 15, said a friend saw the security guard get arrested, and word of the bust went around the school.

"I heard he only did it (sold drugs) a couple times," Kingsley said. "He wouldn't do it on school grounds. He was nice. (Students) called him Warner."

Senior
Evan Witek
, 17, said some students were worried Thursday the security guard will "rat out" his student customers in an attempt to win favor with authorities.

On Thursday, Ridgefield police made a second arrest at the high school. A junior was charged with possession of a small quantity of marijuana after a staff member alerted authorities.

Senior
Francesca Capodilupo
, 17, said there is already enough drug and alcohol abuse among Ridgefield teens and the last thing Ridgefield High needs is a security guard selling marijuana. "At this point, it is not worth it to have security guards," said Capodilupo.

For now, Ridgefield officials seem to agree. Freeston said Securitas and school officials are conducting separate investigations. During that period, Securitas guards will not be used at the school.

He said no long-term decisions have been made about the firm.

"We are making no pre-judgment, Freeson said. "We are impressed with (Securitas') sense of urgency. We're asking them to explain their hiring procedures, their pre-hiring screening, their criminal background checks on their employees and their drug arrest background checks."

Cuevas is charged with illegal possession of marijuana, criminal attempt to sell marijuana on school grounds and interfering with a police officer. As of Thursday evening, Cuevas was being held on $2,500 bail.

His arrest came after someone at the school reported what appeared to be a drug sale on Wednesday. It was not the result of a long-term investigation, according to Ridgefield Police.

"As soon as any information comes to a school we handle it quickly," said Ridgefield High principal
Dianna Lindsay
. "This situation was handled swiftly, clearly and cleanly, without hesitation."

Lindsay said she had never doubted the integrity of any of the Securitas security guards. She said she had faith in the guards because she believed district administrators would have closely monitored the private security firm.

"I'm confident that whatever arrangements were made between Securitas and the school administration will always have the best interest of our children at heart," Lindsay said.

Robert Opotzner
has a son in his senior year and a daughter in her freshman year at Ridgefield High. He said while he has faith in the principal, he has "ongoing concerns about security at the school."

Opotzner, who was a Ridgefield school board member for 6½ years, said he favors having "an actual police office at the high school."

"There is no question in this day and age that every high school should have an actual police officer on campus," Opotzner said. "I don't think you can besmirch a whole (private) security force because of the actions of one individual, but I think this points out how important it is to have actual police" at the school.

Susan Ferguson
, a board member for the school's parent-teacher group, has one child who went through Ridgefield High and another who is a sophomore. She said she was "shocked" to hear of the arrest.

"I have never heard of anything like this happening before," Ferguson said. "I've been quite comfortable with the security at the school. I've had no concerns about my child's safety there."

Ferguson said she is confident the school board will handle the situation "adequately and immediately."